By health region

Key points

Health regions are aggregations of public health units and their boundaries. See Technical Notes for more information.

Health region data is only available from 2011 onwards, as address of residence was not collected prior to that year. For this reason, the figures below only present data for the year 2015. Data from 2011 to 2015 are available in the tables at the end of the page.

The percent of people with diagnosed HIV living in Ontario who were virally suppressed increased over time for all health regions, and was generally lower in the Northern health region and slightly lower in Ottawa. In 2015, the percent suppressed was (highest to lowest): Central West (80.9%), Toronto (80.7%), Central East (79.3%), Eastern (78.9%), South West (78.8%), Ottawa (76.5%) and Northern (70.6%).

Time from HIV diagnosis to viral suppression among people newly diagnosed with HIV in Ontario also improved over time but was longer in the Northern region.

Figures

Figure 1 Percent of people with diagnosed HIV living in Ontario who were virally suppressed by health region, 2015

Trends: In 2015, the percent of people with diagnosed HIV who were virally suppressed was highest in the Central West and lowest in the Northern health region. See Table 1 for data and definitions.

Figure 2 Percent of people with diagnosed HIV living in Ontario on ART who were virally suppressed by health region, 2015

Trends: In 2015, the percent of people on ART who were virally suppressed was highest in Ottawa and lowest in the Northern health region. See Table 2 for data and definitions.

Figure 3 Percent of people newly diagnosed with HIV in Ontario who achieved viral suppression within six months of diagnosis by health region, 2012 to 2014 (combined)

Trends: The percent of people newly diagnosed in 2012 to 2014 (combined) who achieved viral suppression within six months of diagnosis was highest in Central West and lowest in the Northern health region. See Table 3 for data and definitions.

Tables and definitions

Table 1 Percent of people with diagnosed HIV living in Ontario who were virally suppressed by health region, 2011 to 2015

Table 2 Percent of people with diagnosed HIV living in Ontario on ART who were virally suppressed by health region, 2011 to 2015

Year

Northern

Ottawa

Eastern

Toronto

Central East

Central West

South West

2011

86.8

91.1

91.2

90.3

91.0

91.5

90.7

2012

86.5

90.8

91.4

91.7

90.9

93.1

90.9

2013

89.9

91.0

92.3

92.7

91.9

93.1

91.6

2014

89.3

93.4

95.2

93.9

92.5

93.8

92.7

2015

91.8

95.1

94.5

94.8

93.9

93.8

93.0

Estimate of percent virally suppressed

“Virally suppressed” definition (numerator)

“on ART” definition (denominator)

Main

Viral load less than 200 copies per ml, and known on ART or ART status missing, on last VL (data not shown)

Known on ART, or ART status missing, on last viral load test (data not shown)

Table 3 Percent of people newly diagnosed with HIV in Ontario who achieved viral suppression within six months of HIV diagnosis by health region, 2012 to 2014

Year

Northern

Ottawa

Eastern

Toronto

Central East

Central West

South West

2012-2014

20.8

39.2

42.9

41.5

38.9

45.3

40.6

Estimate of percent achieving viral suppression within six months

“Virally suppressed within six months” definition (numerator)

“Newly diagnosed” definition (denominator)

Main

Viral load less than 200 copies per ml within six months of HIV diagnosis (data now shown)

Nominal HIV-positive diagnostic test and no evidence of previous diagnosis (i.e. no detectable viral load test or CD4 count before diagnosis date, and first VL after diagnosis not virally suppressed) (data not shown)

Notes: Data provided by Public Health Ontario Laboratories. Diagnoses assigned to a health region based on their address of residence or, if unknown, the address of the ordering provider. ART status documented on VL test requisition by ordering provider and missing for 17-20% of requisitions (Figure 2 and Table 2). The year 2015 was removed as some individuals diagnosed in that year would not have had time to reach viral suppression (Figure 3 and Table 3). Individuals living out of province (approximately 1% each year) or with missing health region (approximately 0.1% each year) were excluded. Tables and Figures display main estimates only. A range of plausible values are available upon request.